
jOome 
X/ittle firayers 

LUCY RIDER MEYER 




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COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT: 



Some Little Prayers 



jOome 
X/ittle prayers 



By 

Lucy Rider Meyer 



* 



CINCINNATI: JENNINGS AND GRAHAM 
NEW YORK: EATON AND MAINS 



M9 01 



JUBRARYofCQ 

! wo Copies Kec 

FEB 17 !y08 

' OOPV a 



Copyright 1907 

By 

Jennings C&, Graham 






Foreword 

^JVERY large life is devout. Care- 
Vj[ lessness of God is a sign of a small 
soul. Devoutness means prayer. We 
turn our faces toward God, find way to 
our knees, make our prayer. 

Prayer is man and woman at their 
best. We are never so sublime as 
when we make our prayer. We have 
in that one act shown that we are not 
children of the ground, but children of 
the sky. Prayers which have been of- 
fered by devout souls are the ruts 
worn in the road that leads to God. 
They are always the soul's highest 
form of utterance. 



% W "%ORD, help me to pray. Make me 
B J faithful in the stated times of 
prayer ; but oh, more than that, 
so breathe upon my heart a love and 
longing for Thee, so make me to feel 
my constant need of Thee, so burden 
me with the needs of this lost world, 
that I shall pray without ceasing ; that 
the blessed background of all my think- 
ing, the state to which my soul returns 
at every moment of leisure, shall be 
Thee. Thee, O God, my good Father; 
Jesus my Saviour and the Lover of my 
soul; the Holy Spirit the blessed Com- 
forter. Help me in my praying not 
only to talk to Thee, but to expect Thee 
to talk to me. Help me to listen. 
Grant even on earth, Lord, the heaven 
of constant communion with Thee. 

1 Thess. 5:17. Jno. 14:16. 



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Some ^r*VORD, when I look at the beauty 

Little J A an( i majesty of Thy world, at 

^ the starry heavens or the sailing 

Ic/rayers c i 0U( j Sj at t h e greenness of Thy grass 

or the whiteness of Thy snow, I adore 
Thee ! When I remember the exquisite 
beauty of every little tree leaf and the 
infinite painstaking of its creation, the 
marvelous delicacy of every tiny snow 
crystal, I feel that I am looking upon 
the embroidered robes in which Thou 
art half revealing, half concealing Thine 
own infinite loveliness. My soul is 
filled with wonder and worship. If 
earth is so wonderful, what must 
heaven be! If Thy mere trailing gar- 
ments are so fair, what must be the full 
revelation of Thy loveliness! 



*B^ELP me to understand, Lord 
1 1 Jesus, that Thou art working out 
a plan in the routine of my daily 
life, that there is a discipline that even 
Omnipotence can not give without the 
help of the common round. I weary at 
the treadmill, and cry out against being 
thus bound to the sordid and the com- 
monplace. But Thou wast a carpenter! 
For many weary years, blessed Master, 
Thou didst go to Thy daily task of un- 
remitting toil. Thy dear hands were 
hardened and Thy shoulders bent with 
the work of a laborer. So help me in 
all my work, to recognize the will cf 
Thyself, the Master and Planner of my 
life, and to do all humbly and faith- 
fully and well. 



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n 



ORD, I pray Thee for the great 
city, that hot-bed of social sin 
and political vice, that center 
wherein is massed so much misery. 
From out of the populous city men 
groan and the soul of the wounded 
crieth out ! Yet it is from the city that 
spring our mighty mission movements 
and our great organized efforts for the 
uplifting of society. O God, bless the 
city, with its enormous possibilities, 
its wealth of young life and strong life, 
its wealth of gold! Further every 
earnest effort that is being made to re- 
deem the city ! Bless its settlements 
and hospitals and all its Houses of 
Mercy, its reform clubs and missions, 
its Churches and its deaconess work. 
Raise up an ever-increasing army of 
heroic souls to labor for the city's good; 
and hasten the time when our earthly 
cities shall become copies of the beauti- 
ful pattern, the new Jerusalem coming 
down from God out of heaven. 

Job 24:12. Rev. 21:2. 



10 



I WORSHIP Thee, sweet Will of gome 
God ' Little 

And all Thy ways adore, j-. 

And every day I live, I seem IcJrayers 

To love Thee more and more. 
I love to kiss each print where Thou 

Hast set Thine unseen feet ; 
I can not fear Thee, blessed Will, 
Thine empire is so sweet. 

When obstacles and trials seem 

A prison wall to be, 
I do the little I can do, 

And leave the rest with Thee. 
I know not what it is to doubt, 

My heart is ever gay ; 
I run no risk, for come what will, 

Thou always hast Thy way. 

I have no cares, O blessed Will, 

For all my cares are Thine ; 
I live in triumph, Lord, for Thou 

Hast made Thy triumphs mine, 
111 that Thou blessest is most good, 

And unblessed good is ill, 
And all is right that seems most 
wrong, 

If it be Thy dear will. 

Frederick William Faber. 

11 



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THANK Thee, O God, that Thou 
art a great God, unsearchable in 
wisdom, infinite in resources ! Out 
YJr&yCYS oi Thine abundance all Thy creatures 
are fed. Thou providest not only physi- 
cal food out of Thy myriad storehouses 
of prairie and plain, and water out of Thy 
flowing rivers, but Thou givest food for 
the spirit of man — unbounded room in 
Thy great universe for the play of his 
intellect in invention and discovery, 
wealth of love in Christ Jesus for his 
soul, and life everlasting and abundant 
for his thirsting, seeking heart. Round 
our incompleteness flows Thy great- 
ness ; round our restlessness, Thy rest. 
Thou sufficest, O God! Thou who art 
enough for heaven art surely enough 
for earth. All my need Thou wilt sup- 
ply according to Thy riches in glory, 
by Christ Jesus. 

Rom. 11:33. Psa. 104:24. Psa. 86:10. Psa. 145:16. Eliza- 
beth Barrett Browning. Phil. 4:19. 



12 



^W—^-ORD, help me to feel Thy pres- 
JP J ence as real every moment. I will 
not ask Thee to be with me, for 
Thou art always with me; but manifest 
Thyself to me as Thou dost not unto 
the world. Open the eyes of my spirit, 
make me pure in heart that I may see 
God. Help me to keep the sweet 
thought of Thee deliberately, carefully, 
ever before me. Let my mind, my 
thoughts, be stayed on Thee. 

Speak to me, Lord, for Thou hearest, 
and Spirit with spirit can meet. 

Closer art Thou than breathing, nearer 
than hands and feet ! 

Matt. 5:8. Isa. 26:3. Tennyson. 



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13 



Some % W m ~f ORT>, bless my body. Thou, Lord 
Little ^1 -J Jesus, who was once enshrined 
I- in flesh like mine, make me to 

Icirayers un derstand the sacredness of my 
body. Make me to realize its value, for 
only as I keep it strong and well can I 
do good work for Thee. Help me to keep 
it pure, Lord, for it is a temple of the 
Holy Ghost. Keep me from injuring 
myself by carelessness or overwork. 
Keep me, if it be Thy will, from illness, 
from the pestilence that walketh in 
darkness — and from accident, the de- 
struction that wasteth at noonday. 
And whether I eat or drink, or whatever 
I do, may it be all for Thy glory. 

1 Cor. 6:19. Psa. 91:6. 1 Cor. 10:31. 



14 



<^f HE deadly monotony of life, Lord, 
\^9 how hard sometimes it is to 
bear ! Help me to bear it. Even 
if a day should come when all the joy of 
living should seem gone, and the green 
earth be turned to ashes beneath my 
feet, help me to look up to the Heaven 
that is always blue and so to go on ! I 
will lift up mine eyes to the hills — yea, 
above the hills — from whence cometh 
my help. Though my feet tread the 
dusty way, may my head be among the 
stars. 

Ps. 121:1. Matt. 25:21. Rom. 8:21. 



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15 



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n 



ELP me to understand, Lord, that 
this earth is only the place where 
Thou art sending me to school. 
By and by the graduating time will come 
and I shall hear Thee say, "Well done." 
I shall know that the work was not 
very well done. Only a heart of infin- 
ite love could call it that — as a mother 
might say tender words over a child's 
imperfect attempts. But Thou wilt 
say it, even to me. So, help me to be 
faithful and diligent and patient, till 
that day when the creature also shall 
be delivered into the glorious liberty of 
the children of God. 

Psa. 121:1. Matt. 25:21. Rom. 8:21. 



%6 



Y~/-ORD JESUS, bless, I pray Thee, Some 
J J the great congregation of Thy L{ff( e 

disciples on earth, the Church ^ 
Thou hast founded with Thy precious V™?*** 
blood. When we think of its marvel- 
ous history, its glorious walls laid in 
the blood of prophets and apostles and 
martyred saints, our souls swell with 
joy and thankfulness that we, even we, 
may have our little niche in this City 
of God. O Lord, purify Thy Church! 
Save it from formality and narrowness 
and worldly ambition. Kindle anew its 
fires of self-sacrifice and loyalty, and in 
the power of Thy Holy Spirit may it go • 
on with ever-increasing strength in its 
great mission of conquering the world. 
And may I — only one among the mil- 
lions, but still one — be a faithful and 
worthy member of Thy blessed Church. 



(2) 



17 



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i 



WANT to put my life again into 
Thy hands, dear Lord, that which 
is past as well as that which is to 
come. The past I leave in Thy keep- 
ing for forgiveness and blessing, the 
future I trust with Thee. Order Thou 
my life, O Lord! Thou knowest the 
possibilities in me. I pray not so 
much for a happy life as for one which 
shall count in bringing in the Kingdom. 
Overrule my life for this glorious object, 
Lord Jesus. Above all my choices for 
myself do Thou choose for me; and 
may no hesitation or reluctance of mine 
prevent Thy doing with me, and by me, 
and through me, all that Omnipotence 
can do to lessen the pain of the world 
and to lift it a little more into the light. 



18 



^2fTILL, still with Thee, when pur- Some 
k^y pie morning breaketh, Little 

When the bird waketh, and the -^ 
shadows flee ; Prayers 

Fairer than morning, lovelier than day- 
light, 
Dawns the sweet consciousness, I 
am with Thee. 

Alone with Thee, amid the mystic 
shadows, 
The solemn hush of nature newly 
born; 
Alone with Thee in breathless adora- 
tion, 
In the calm dew and freshness of the 
morn. 

So shall it be at last, in that bright 
morning, 
When the soul waketh, and life's 
shadows flee ; 
O in that hour, fairer than daylight 
dawning, 
Shall rise the glorious thought — I 
am with Thee! 

Harriet Beecher Stowe. 

19 



Some TT* THANK Thee, O God, for the rev- 
Little jL* e ^ at ^ on °f Thy Son in the blessed 
^ Word! How dark the world 

yrayer9 would be but for the shining in it of the 
face of Jesus Christ! How dim would 
be our best knowledge, how mazy our 
path through life, how hopeless the 
grave ! Lord, may we prize more highly 
our one Book about heaven, the only 
Book that tells us about Jesus, the Gos- 
pel that brings life and immortality to 
light. May we study it more faithfully, 
and pattern our lives more closely after 
its holy precepts. 

2 Tim. 1:10. 



20 



*w-"%ORD JESUS, Thou who wast Some 
M J once held in a blessed mother's r {t+i e 
arms, help and bless the mothers -~ 
of our land, and of all lands — those who K' 1 **?* 1 * 9 
have that greatest and most precious 
responsibility on earth, the teaching of 
the first lessons of love to little hearts 
— those who are turning little feet into 
ways in which they will walk forever. 
Help mothers to realize their great re- 
sponsibility, their holy task. May they 
be wise and patient and strong in caring 
for these little ones who are so soon to 
rule the world, hearing always Thy 
voice saying, "Take this child and nurse 
it for Me, and I will give thee thy 
wages." 

Ex. 2-9. 



21 



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I 



THANK Thee, Lord, for the Holy 
Spirit, the Comforter, the blessed 
Paraclete. Be Thou indeed my 
Jclrayers p arac i e te.* I am ignorant and foolish ; 
I call Thee to my side to be my wis- 
dom. I am sad, be Thou my comfort ; 
weak, be Thou my strength. Most of 
all, blessed Spirit, I need to know Jesus 
in what He waits to do for me ; oh, 
take of the things of Christ and show 
them unto me! Help my infirmities. 
Teach me how to pray. And may I 
have always in my heart the wonderful 
witness that I am indeed a child of 
God. 

Jno. 16:14. Rom. 8:26. 1 Jno. 5:10. 

* Paraclete, see John 15:26. The word is Greek, the 
identical one Jesus used. It is broader in meaning 
than "Comforter." It means literally, "one called to 
the side of," to give help in any need. 



22 



% W "%ORD, keep me from growing nar- 
B A row with the years so full of ab- 
sorbing interests. May my sym- 
pathy for every thing that is good be 
ever more ready to flow. Open my 
heart ever wider to the bitter cries of 
the suffering world. Deepen my com- 
passions. Help me, Lord, not only to 
feel more, but to do more. Or in days 
when I can not do more, help me to 
pray more. Broaden and deepen my 
love, Lord, and so make my heart more 
like Thine. 



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23 



gome ^2f E T a watcll > O Lord, before my 
Little jC5 mouth; keep the door of my lips! 
.pv By my words I shall be justified 

fcjraycvs or condemned, for as the heart thinketh 
so the mouth speaketh. Keep my 
heart right, Lord, then my words will 
be right. Keep me from the careless or 
irritated word, from the hasty word. 
Keep me from hurting people by my 
words. Keep me from frightening 
them. I fear that sometimes, even as I 
try to call after Thy poor wandering 
sheep astray in the wilderness, I may 
frighten them still further away from 
Thee. How gracious were the words 
of Thy mouth, Lord Jesus! Make my 
words gracious, and thus may the peo- 
ple take knowledge of me that I have 
been with Thee. May the words of 
my mouth and the meditation of my 
heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O 
Lord, my Strength and my Redeemer ! 

Psa. 141:3. Matt. 12:37. Luke 4:22. Acts 4:13. Psa. 19:14. 



24 



*lf ^-ORD, bless and help the sons Some 
Jf A and daughters of pain. Do Thou j {ttlc 

meet them in their extremity ^^ 
and help them to think of Thee. Some Payers 
are sick with quick disease, some from 
exhausting weakness. Some have been 
brought down by accident, some are 
in terrible pain, some are lying in a long, 
long languor, some are in hospitals. 
Some are away from home and friends, 
some without comforts, in poverty and 
need. They all need Thee, dear Lord. 
Thy Word says "Thou wilt make all 
his bed in sickness. ,, Lord Jesus, make 
the beds of all sick people to-day ! Give 
to them endurance and patience. Give 
ease and returning health, if it may be, 
but most of all give Thyself! O Thou 
who didst Thyself suffer, gently lift 
the sufferer's mind to Thy blessed self, 
and bring to all thoughts of the land 
where sorrow and sighing shall flee 
away, and where none shall say, "I am 
sick/' 

Psa. 41:3. Isa. 35:10. 



25 



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prayers 



I THANK Thee, O God, that I am 
made in Thine image! I thank 
Thee for mental life, for the joys 
of knowing and the joys of growing. I 
thank Thee for the endlessly recurring 
desires in me. I thank Thee for my 
keen delight in Thy wonderful world, 
for the enjoyment I have in the ever 
new experiences of my daily journey. 
Thou givest me all things richly to en- 
joy. Thou makest me to drink of the 
river of Thy pleasures. I thank Thee 
that I shall go on knowing and growing 
forever. My soul expands in the 
thought of an eternity with Thee as 
Teacher, Thou ever impelling, yet ever 
satisfying One ! O, the depth of the riches 
both of the wisdom and knowledge of 
God! His judgments are unsearchable, 
and His ways past finding out ! 



Gen. 1:26. 
11:33. 



1 Tim. 6:17. Psa. 36:8. Pres. King. Rom. 



26 



I THANK Thee, O God, that it is 
not by sending, but by calling that 
Thou dost direct Thy children! 
That Thou sayest to us as to Thy ser- 
vant of old, "Certainly I will be with 
thee." Dost Thou command us to 
take up our cross? We see Jesus just 
ahead bending beneath the weight of 
His. It is not hard to follow a path 
marked by His blessed feet. Must we 
give and love? Thy great heart is ever 
pouring itself out in infinite giving and 
loving. Dost Thou command us to 
serve? Jesus washed the feet of His 
disciples, and the mighty God stoops to 
feed one little black raven ! Dost Thou 
ask of us self-renunciation? Oh, may 
we see that this is indeed the highest 
privilege, that it leads up into the very 
life of our God who was slain for us 
from the foundation of the world, and 
who still is pierced to the heart by the 
misunderstanding and ingratitude of 
the humanity for which He went to the 
cross ! Thou didst lay down Thy life 
for us, help us to lay down our lives at 
Thy dear feet, to be taken up and 
blessed and used by Thee. 

Jno. 13:5. Luke 12:24. Rev. 13:8. 1 John 3:16. 

27 



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xx 



•ORD, may I not be surprised or 
dismayed if I sometimes walk in 
heaviness for a little, through 
manifold temptations. It might not be 
well for me to walk always in the un- 
veiled brightness of Thy face — my faith 
might not grow, my endurance might 
not be strengthened. When I walk in 
darkness and have no light, help me to 
trust in the name of the Lord, and stay 
myself upon my God. When Thou 
didst lead forth Thy people of old it 
was sometimes by a pillar of fire, but 
sometimes it was by a pillar of cloud. 
Clouds and darkness are round about 
Thee at times. But help me to follow 
fully, fire or cloud, only so I know 
that Thou art in the guiding Pillar! 

1 Pet. 1:6. Isa. 50:10. Psa. 78:14. Num. 14:24. 



28 



^W—^ORD, bless the deaconess in her Some 
M J labor of love. Thou whose pa- r i++\ t 
tient feet grew weary on Gali- ^ 
lee's highways, bless her as she goes on k^yere 
Thine errands still, and whatever her 
work may be — ministering to the poor, 
caring for the sick, comforting the sor- 
rowing, seeking the wandering, saving 
sinners — do Thou work through her. 
May she never for a moment forget that 
the work is Thine, not her own; and 
may she rejoice to manifest a little of 
Thy will and Thy love to the world 
which sees Thee only as Thou art made 
real in the form of Thy servants. And, 
O Lord, go with her. In her weariness 
may she find Thee her rest, in her ig- 
norance may she find Thee her wisdom, 
in danger be Thou her shield. In her 
sorrow over the suffering and sin she 
can not wholly stay, may she remem- 
ber that Thou, too, didst weep. And 
do Thou ever pour into her heart the 
largess of heaven's gold of peace and 
joy. 

2 Cor. 4:5. 



29 



Some % |^TEART of Jesus, rent in twain, 
Little J \ ^ y ^y dying passion's pain, 
-rv I to Thee for refuge run, 

IcJrayers Lifeless, loveless and undone ; 

From myself, and from my sin, 
Heart of Jesus, take me in ! 

Arms of Jesus, crucified, 
To the ages opened wide; 
To Thy fold I fainting flee, 
From the foes that compass me; 
From myself, and from my sin, 
Arms of Jesus, take me in! 

Love of Jesus, wider far 
Than the widest heavens are; 
Deeper than my sin can be, 
Who can separate from Thee? 
Safe from self, and safe from sin, 
Love of Jesus, shut me in! 

Mary A. Lathbury. 



30 



*W-"%ORD, help me, not only by what gome 
P J I do and say, but even by what Little 
I am, to win others to Thee. --. 
May Thy transforming love so shine fc^™ 1 * 9 
forth in me that it shall attract those 
who know me, to my Saviour. May 
my life be a constant witness to the 
loveliness of my Master. May the 
beauty of Thy holiness be seen in me. 

Psa. 96:9. 



31 



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being 
work; 
being 



•ORD, bless those women that la- 
bor in the gospel. We thank 
Thee that women's hands are 
consecrated to Thy special 
that their gentle ministries are 
felt in so many homes of the 
needy and by so many beds of the sick. 
Lord, bless the deaconess and the 
home missionary and the foreign mis- 
sionary, and greatly multiply their 
number. So many of Thy hand- 
maidens are providentially free from 
the dear duties of the sweet domestic 
family — oh, may the thoughts of such 
turn naturally to the great world fam- 
ily pitifully calling for help, to the 
friendless and the orphan and the 
aged, to the sick and desolate and 
lonely. And so may woman's special 
work be greatly blessed of Thee, and 
become a still mightier agency in lift- 
ing the sad world nearer the throne. 

Phil. 4:3. 



32 



% g r *^.ORD, I want the heavenly illumi- Some 
M J nation, the light that never was r i++t c 
on sea or land. My eyes are p. 
dimmed, my spirit heavy. Sometimes, t^y* 1 * 9 
indeed, Thou givest me rare moments 
of knowing Thy will and feeling Thy 
love. Sometimes I see Thy heavenly 
beauty and charm, and my heart runs 
forth to meet Thee in joyous comrade- 
ship. Sometimes I cry, "Whom have 
I in heaven but Thee, and there is none 
upon earth that I desire beside Thee!" 
Oh, let these moments be multiplied in 
my life! Let me walk always serene 
and steady in the light that shines in 
the face of Jesus Christ ! 

Alfred Tennyson. Psa. 73:25. 



(3) 33 



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prayers 



"T3 



HAT they all may be one!" It 
was Thy prayer, dear Lord, 
and I pray it too. Sometimes I 
have seen a wonderful unity in a little 
family, brothers and sisters and father 
and mother holding sweet converse in 
tenderest love and sympathy. Oh that 
Thy people were thus one ! Oh for a 
love that prevents the misunderstand- 
ing and stops the criticism! A little 
waye of it comes to us, Lord, when a 
glowing revival is upon us, or when 
some great sorrow touches Thy Church; 
but oh for the constant atmosphere of 
the unity of love ! "That they all may 
be one," even as Thou and the Father 
are one. So shall the world know that 
Jesus, and the Spirit of Jesus, have 
really been sent into the world. 

Jno. 17:11. 



34 



X^tVEN so come, Lord Jesus ! Some 

^M Little 

Even so come, to the absent 'and dear, i^ ra y cr8 
Watch between all who are parted ; 

Speak the word only, and joy and good 
cheer 
Soon shall lift up the sad-hearted. 

Even so come, the same Jesus of old, 
Known through our life's broken 
story; 
Come, when the hastening years are all 
told, 
Let us behold Thee in glory. 

Rev. 22:20. Julia H. Johnston. 



35 



Some Y^ORD, bless those to whom Thou 

Little J -A* k ast 2* ven wonderful power to 
13 get gold, those to whom Thou 

K* ™ cr9 hast entrusted great riches. Oh, may 
they never forget that riches and honor 
come of Thee — that they are Thine; the 
gold and the silver and the cattle upon a 
thousand hills — and Thou hast never 
yet given a quitclaim deed for a square 
foot of Thy land. How engrossing 
must be the lives of the very rich! 
How easy it must be for them to drift 
out of sympathy with the world, how 
difficult to be still gentle and humble 
and good, how hard to enter the king- 
dom of Heaven ! Lord, bless them for 
their own souls' sake — for the time is 
coming when the rich and the poor 
must stand alike before Thee. And for 
the sake of the Church and the world 
which they may so help, bless them, O 
Lord! Enlarge their thoughts. Help 
them to give, and as they "offer wil- 
lingly" to rejoice greatly, as did Thy 
servant of old. And increase the num- 
ber of the rich who count themselves 
as only Thy stewards and their wealth 
as a sacred trust fund from Thee. 

Hag. 2:8. Psa. 50:10. 1 Chron. 29:9. 

36 



*W -^.ORD Jesus, I am very tired. No- 

M J body in all the world knows 

all the aching — the heaviness. 

"Nobody knows but Jesus." O blessed 

Saviour, how glad I am that Thou 

knowest ! Thou whisperest to me : 

"Well I know thy sorrows, O my serv- 
ant true : 

Thou art very weary — I was weary 
too!" 

And the deep comfort of. Thy sym- 
pathy sinks into my soul. 

And now, dear Lord, help me to drop 
all for awhile and rest — on Thy breast. 

Old Song. Andrew, of Crete. 



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37 



Some 
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B 



ATHER, we thank Thee for the 
light that shines beyond the 
grave. We thank Thee for Thy 
Icwayers hidden teaching in the opening chrysalis 
and the bursting seed and the marvelous 
re-birth of the green world from winter's 
death. But our dull eyes might have 
missed those teachings, and so Thou 
gavest us Jesus who died and rose 
again. We thank Thee that He not 
only went down into the grave, but 
that He came up out of the grave. We 
thank Thee that, Jesus being thus the 
first-fruits of them that are asleep, we 
know that we shall be the after-fruits. 

death, where is thy sting ! O grave, 
where is thy victory ! 

1 Cor. 15:3,4. 1 Cor. 15:20. 1 Cor. 15:55. 



38 



BLESS us, O God, not according to 
our askings, but according to our 
needs! Let our deepest suppli- 
cations come from the necessities of 
our lives. Give us more faith, give us 
more goodness, give us more love, give 
us more charitableness, give us more 
eagerness to be good, give us greater 
desire to understand our neighbors and 
our friends. Give us more heart search- 
ing, give us more heart hunger, give us, 
we pray Thee, a longing desire to be 
fruitful in the Kingdom of God. We 
ask in Christ. Amen. — wiiiiam a. Quayie. 



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prayers 



39 



Some TT* ASK Thee for a thoughtful love, 

Little JL> Through constant watching wise, 

^v ~* To meet the glad with joyful smiles, 

prayers ^ n( j w j pe t h e we eping eyes ; 

A heart at leisure from itself, 
To soothe and sympathize. 

I ask Thee for the daily strength, 

To none that ask denied, 
A mind to blend with outward life 

While keeping at Thy side; 
Content to fill a little space, 

If Thou be glorified. 

Anna L. Waring. 



40 



*W "%ORD, let me not be astonished or Some 
B J quite overwhelmed if bitter af- j- {ff\ c 
fliction should come. Jesus ty^ivcn 
went into the Garden of Gethsemane ™ 

and to the cross of Calvary, and the 
disciple is not above his Master. Let 
me not think it strange, but rejoice 
rather, that I am a partaker of Christ's 
sufferings. May my moan of pain be 
never so loud as to drown the whisper 
of Thy blessed voice in my heart, 
"When thou passest through the 
waters I will be with thee, when 
thou walkest through the fire thou 
shalt not be burned. ,, Lord, may the 
trial of my faith, more precious than 
gold, be found unto praise and glory 
and honor when Christ shall be re- 
vealed in me; and though I see Him 
not now, yet even in the pain may I 
trust and rejoice. 

Matt. 10:24. 1 Pet. 4:13. Isa. 43:2. 1 Pet. 1:7,8. 



41 



Some f\ 
Ltttlc v-r 
prayers 



LORD, take care of the uncon- 
scious influence that, whether I 
will it or not, I am always exert- 
ing. When I think that some stray 
word of mine or even some lack of a 
word that I might have spoken, some 
smile or lack of a smile, may have lifted 
some soul a little nearer Thee or driven 
some soul a little farther from Thee, 
my heart fails within me. The re- 
sponsibility of living — only Thou, Lord, 
art sufficient for it ! Only Thou canst 
bring into captivity every thought, 
canst keep the perpetual watch, canst 
form the underlying character that 
shines out in the unconscious influence. 
My sufficiency must be of God. 

2 Cor. 10:5. 2 Cor. 3:5. 



42 



*W "^ORD, may we ask Thee to bless Some 
P A all who have gone astray? Is \i+x\t 
there not compassion in Thy ^. 
heart for all? While we were yet sin- fc**^ 1 * 9 
ners Christ died for us. Our hearts, 
even our hearts of flesh, go out in a 
great pity toward our lost sisters in 
their wretchedness and sin, and surely 
Thy compassions are greater than ours. 
Almost all of these poor girls are young 
— they knew not at all the value of the 
pearl of purity they were losing. Many 
were forced over the awful .brink by 
the bay of the gray wolf of starvation. 
Lord, pity them and save them. And 
many have gone over for lack of one 
little touch of friendliness or counsel, 
and we sometimes fear that we have 
not stretched out the hand to help 
as we might have done. Lord, forgive 
us! Forgive Thy Church! Open our 
eyes to see as never before; open our 
hearts to love and our hands to help. 

Rom. 5:8. Lam. 3:22. 



43 



Some 

Little 

prayers 



n 



ORD GOD, my Father, I thank 
Thee for the revelation of Thy- 
self as "Father/' Foreshadowed 
even in the olden times, Jesus made it 
clear when He came and taught us to 
call Thee "Our Father." I thank Thee 
that even when one knows no longer an 
earthly father's love, one is not left 
comfortless. No child of Thine can 
ever be an orphan. Oh, may 1 walk 
ever with Thee as a little trusting child, 
clinging to Thy hand, implicitly follow- 
ing Thy guidance, till Thou "bring me 
to Thy many mansions, there to be 
forever at home with Thee ! 

Matt. 6:9. Jno. 14:18. 



44 



*W-"%ORD GOD, show me Thy glory! 

B J My brain is dazed by the tinsel 
glare of the world and I can 
scarcely lift my tired eyes to Thee. 
Hide me in Thy wilderness, in some 
cleft of the rock, and make all Thy good- 
ness pass before me, and proclaim the 
name of the Lord again in my ears, 
"The Lord, the Lord, a God full of com- 
passion and plenteous in mercy ! " Thou 
hast said, "i know thee by name," but, 
O Lord, I want to know Thee! Show 
me Thy glory! If Thy presence go not 
with me, carry me not up hence. 

But even as I pray, I am hearing Thy 
whisper in my heart, "My presence 
SHALL go with Thee and I will give 
thee rest." 

Ex. 33:22. Ex 34:6. Ex. 33:14. 



Some 

Little 

prayers 



45 



Some 

Little 

prayers 



xx 



•ORD, bless all that are in author- 
ity over us, especially our Presi- 
dent. How vast is his responsi- 
bility! — shall not his people pray for 
him? In his official capacity, nations 
wait for his word; and in his personal 
life millions imitate his most trivial act. 
May he realize the awfulness of his 
high position and do justly and love 
mercy and walk humbly with his God. 
Lead him in Thy truth, Thou God of 
nations. Give him light for every 
shadowed place and skill for every diffi- 
cult task. May he listen for Thy voice 
above all earthly voices, and may he 
guide the people in righteousness. 

1 Tim. 2:2. Micah. 6:8. Psa. 25:5. 



46 



Y=CEAVENLY Father, Thou didst so 

1 P love the world that Thou gavest 

us Thy Son. Our souls adore 

Thee for the marvelous gift. While we 

were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 

We thank Thee, Father, that the 
coming of Jesus means not only salva- 
tion, but light; that Jesus is our "Word" 
from Thee. It is by our words that we 
convey our thoughts to each other, and 
so by this blessed Word from Thyself, 
the Son of God dwelling in our flesh, 
Thou makest us to understand Thy 
thoughts of love toward us. And hav- 
ing spared not Thy Son, wilt Thou not 
freely give us all things ? 



Sonic 

Little 

prayers 



Jno. 3:16. 
8:32. 



Rom. 5:8. Charles Wesley. Jno. 1:1. Rom. 



47 



Some 
LittU 



zc 



ORD JESUS, my Master, work 
in me such deep conviction of 
Thy trustworthiness that I shall 
|cirayer9 nQt ^ e af^d to surrender myself abso- 
lutely to Thee — to fall on the seeming 
void, knowing I shall find the everlast- 
ing arms beneath. May the spirit of 
complete, joyous trust dominate my 
life this moment and every moment. 
As to any duty, help me to say, "Easy 
or hard, I will do it for Thee." As to 
any path, help me to say, "Rough or 
smooth, clouded or clear, 

Only Thou my leader be, 
And I still will follow Thee." 

Jo G. Whittier. John Cennick. 



48 



% W ^ORD, prepare me for any emer- Some 
J A gency that may happen in my life T{ttle 

— for accident or sudden illness ^v 
or disturbing news. I may be shaken, fc^y^ 1 * 9 
Lord, but let my heart be so fixed on 
Thee that none of these things shall 
really move me. So fill my heart with 
Thine eternal love that the things of 
earth shall not seem large to me. Hold 
Thou me when the mighty billows 
smite, and keep me steady in the face of 
the lesser trials that are sure to come. 
May the peace of God flow like a great, 
calm river in my soul. 

Psa. 57:7. Isa. 48:18. 



(4) 49 



Some 

Little 

prayers 



8 



'TRONG Son of God, immortal 
Love, 
Whom we, that have not seen 
Thy face, 
By faith, and faith alone, embrace, 
Believing where we can not prove ; 

Thou wilt not leave us in the dust ; 
Thou madest man, he knows not 

why, 
He thinks he was not made to die ; 
And Thou hast made him ; Thou art 
just. 

Thou seemest human and divine, 

The highest, holiest manhood, Thou ; 
Our wills are ours, we know not how; 

Our wills are ours — to make them 
Thine. 

Our little systems have their day; 
They have their day and cease to be : 
They are but broken lights of Thee, 

And Thou, O Lord, art more than they. 

Alfred Tennyson. 



50 



prayere 



*W "^.ORD, remember those who walk gome 
M J in paths of temptation — and my Lft+i e 
own self, too. We know a little 
about temptation, and because we 
know, because we have been tempted, 
our hearts go out in sympathy and love 
for the tempted and in pity for those 
who have failed. But Thou, Lord 
Jesus, Thou knowest 

"What strong temptations mean, 
For Thou hast felt the same." 

Thou wast tempted in all points like 
as we are. Thou knowest the power 
of the great wind that would sweep us 
out of the path, the long, long strain 
that would wear out at last the ut- 
most resistance. Oh, help us! We 
are not always strong to resist — we 
have been weakened by yielding — nor 
always wise to recognize the subtle foe. 
Make us alert to see the danger and 
strengthen us to meet it. Lead us not 
into temptation. Vouchsafe, O Lord, 
to keep us this day without sin ! 

Isaac Watts. Heb. 4:15. Prayer Book. 



51 



Some 

Little 

prayers 



u 



ORD, turn my defeats into vic- 
tories. I do not see at all how 
Thou canst do this, but is any- 
thing too hard for Thee? Thou canst 
make the very darkness light, and the 
crooked places straight. Thou canst 
so overrule my mistakes and even my 
faults that all will work for good. So 
I bring Thee my defeats — my pain and 
mortification. I am so glad there is 
an omnipotent hand to cover and cor- 
rect my failures. Jesus conquered 
when he fell. Oh, help me not to let 
these things sadden my life ! May I be 
strengthened and calmed by remember- 
ing how trivial they will seem as I look 
back upon them from the other life a 
thousand years from now. Help me to 
learn from them the lesson Thou 
wouldst have me learn, and then to for- 
get them and press forward. 

Isa. 42:16. T. B. Waterbury. Phil. 3:14. 



52 



*■ -%ORD, strengthen my faith. Help Some 
J J me to grow strong in the very Little 

exercise of faith as Thy servant —. 
Abraham waxed strong, actually strong K* 1 **)^ 1 * 9 
in body, through faith. Help me to be- 
lieve — to be fully assured, as he was, 
that what Thou hast promised, Thou 
art able to perform. How such a faith 
as this would simplify my problems 
and strengthen my life! Lord, I be- 
lieve. I want to believe — I WILL to 
believe ! Help Thou mine unbelief ! 

Rom. 4:20, 21. Mark 9:24. 



53 



Some 
Little 



H 



OW difficult it is to be true, Lord, 
to be utterly sincere and genuine 
in all things! How the conven- 
Icirayers tionalities of society and the annoying 
emergencies of daily life would conspire 
to lower my standard of perfect sincer- 
ity ! A great temptation I could with- 
stand more easily than this multitude 
of little enticements. Oh, keep my con- 
science tender, Lord, and may the 
thought of what Jesus would do steady 
my will and clear my vision. Thou 
blessed One, who art the Way and the 
Truth and the Life, help me to be true. 

Jno. 14:6. 



54 



*W"""0.ORD, look Thou upon the dark Some 
J J places of the earth that are full L{ftlc 

of violence, the places where |~. 
strong manhood is brought down to ****/**$ 
bestiality by the intoxicating cup, 
where unsuspecting maidenhood is 
bought and sold to shame — the dread- 
ful places where crimes are conceived 
and evil deeds planned. O Lord, how 
long! Make bare the arm of Thine in- 
dignation. Come with Thy terrible 
swift sword of judgment. Why must 
evil triumph and the weak and ignorant 
be a prey? 

But, O Lord, even as I pray Thy 
sword smites me. My own heart is 
laid bare. I have not always done all 
I could to remedy these evils. I have 
been apathetic, careless, unmoved. 
Forgive me, Lord ; and from henceforth 
quicken my eyes to see, and my arm 
to strike with whatever of strength 
it may have against these terrible 
wrongs. 

Isa. 52:10. 



55 



Some lT~rORr> J ESUS > * thank Thee for 

Little J A m y friends. Thou who didst 

l^v pillow on Thy breast the head 

W*ytV9 Qi Thy friend) Thou knowest how our 

human hearts need friendship. How 
much I owe my friends of loving con- 
sideration, of encouragement and in- 
struction! How often Thou Thyself 
hast spoken to me through them ! Lord, 
bless and reward these friends of mine. 
Help me in turn to be a true and faith- 
ful friend; and may these precious hu- 
man friendships serve to make more 
real to me the relations I may have to 
Thee, Thou Friend above all others ! 

Jno. 13:23. 



56 



*W"""^ORD, make me very gentle. Keep Some 
J J me from harshness of thought or r/ tt i 

word or deed. May my judg- 
ments be made with a real desire to t^ 1 ^)^* 9 
find something good in every man. 
May my words be full of the love that 
suffereth long and is kind. Sanctify, O 
Lord, even my manner and the tones of 
my voice, lest I heedlessly cause some 
heart to ache. There is so much of 
pain in the world at best — God forbid 
that I should add an iota to the fearful 
sum. I may never be great in my own 
power or wisdom, but oh, may I be 
great in love. May I be made great in 
thy gentleness. 

Psa. 18:35. 



57 



Some % W "7-ORD, bless Thy servants who 
Little Jr^L P reac ^ Thy word and shepherd 
-~ the flock of God on earth. How 

fc/raye 9 enormous their influence, how great 
their responsibility! Lord, help them 
to walk carefully before Thee. Guard 
them against the dangers of their ex- 
alted position. Keep them from pride 
and from narrowness, and keep them 
from all unsanctified ambitions. May 
they pattern after the simplicity of 
Christ. Help them to preach Jesus and 
Him crucified, to truly feed the flock 
which Thou hast purchased with Thine 
own blood. May there ring ever louder 
and louder in their ears the cry of the 
desolate and struggling world, and may 
they have grace so to tell the story of 
Jesus and His love that the cry shall 
be stilled in the Good Shepherd's arms. 

1 Cor. 2:2. Acts 20:28. Jno. 10:11. 



58 



I 



WORSHIP Thee, O Holy Ghost, Some 

I love to worship Thee; Little 

My risen Lord for aye were lost ^v 

But for Thy company. prayers 

I worship Thee, O Holy Ghost, 

I love to worship Thee; 
Thy patient love, at what a cost 

At last it conquered me ! 

I worship Thee, O Holy Ghost, 

I love to worship Thee ; 
With Thee each day is Pentecost, 

Each night Nativity. 

William F. Warren. 



59 



Some 

Little 

prayers 



xx 



•ORD, bless the multiplying hos- 
pitals of the world. We thank 
Thee for these expressions of 
man's growing humanity to man. We 
thank Thee for the wonderful thought 
of disinterested care of the poor and 
sick that Jesus Christ first brought to 
earth. We thank Thee for the marvel- 
ous advances of medical science, for the 
skilled physician with his laboratories 
and microscopes, and for the trained 
nurse with her gentle ministries. 
These are all, though often they know 
it not, patterning after Thee, Thou 
great Healer; they are carrying on the 
work Thou didst begin on earth. Oh, 
bless them, Lord, in their ministry, and 
may they do it more and more as unto 
Thee. 

Luke 10:29-37. 



60 



I THANK Thee, Lord, for eternal Some 
life. I thank Thee that I may not T {^tlc 
only look forward to it in heaven, ^ 
but that I have it now— the heavenly *>V*ytYQ 
vitality, the divine principle. He that 
hath the Son hath the Life. To know 
Thee, Lord Jesus, this is Life Eternal 
—I thank Thee that I know Thee. Help 
me, Lord, to open my heart ever wider 
and wider to the divine influence. May 
I turn to Thee always with trust and 
love, as the flower lifts its face to the 
morning sun. May I grow and develop 
in Thy light. May the Life Eternal in 
me be more and more abundant till it 
blossoms forth at last, in the full fru- 
ition of Thy blessed presence. 

ljno. 5:11. Jno. 17:3. 



61 



Sortie 

Little 

prayers 



I THANK Thee, dear Father, that I 
live in this time of the world's 
history, in these busy, momentous 
days. I thank Thee that above all the 
triumphs of art and the discoveries of 
science, we are coming to the discov- 
ery of who is our neighbor — to recog- 
nize that all the children of earth, near 
and distant, good and bad, are bound 
together in a common tie, and that not 
the weakest, smallest one can suffer but 
that we all suffer with him. I thank 
Thee, Lord, that Thou givest us all a 
little part in helping on the great world 
movement toward better things — these 
mighty throes by which the regenera- 
tion of the nations is coming on. Lord, 
help us to help — to talk, to believe, to 
give, to do, to go if we can, and above 
all and with all, to pray. Help us to 
believe, no matter how dark the night, 
that because God 's in His heaven all *s 
right with the world. 

Robert Browning. 



62 



V^ORD, let Thy sweet light shine Some 
Jf ^/ into the deepest places of my Lfttle 

heart. There are abysses there ^v 
that I myself have never fully fathomed, ****$*** 
outlying lands with strange winds of 
conflicting motives and emotions and 
desires that I myself have never ex- 
plored, but out of these depths will I 
cry unto Thee. O Lord, let them all 
be purified and sweetened and set in 
order by Thy hand. Thou understand- 
est me altogether! The darkness 
hideth not from Thee. How precious 
also are Thy thoughts unto me ! Search 
me, O God, and try me, and see if there 
is any wicked way in me, and lead me 
in the way everlasting. 

Psa. 130:1. Psa. 139:12. Psa. 139:23, 24. 



63 



Some 

Little 

prayers 



n 



ORD, bless the toilers of the 
world, the strong patient hands 
that throw the shuttles of the 
world's industries, the hands that work 
always in obscurity and often in pain. 
Lord, let Thy blessing be upon those 
that shovel the coal and weave the 
cloth and till the earth that we may be 
warmed and clothed and fed; and 
lighten and glorify the humblest and 
heaviest task by showing the toiler that 
whatever he does of honest work is en- 
riching the world and ennobling char- 
acter and glorifying Thee ! 



64 



*r~fORD, grant me self control! Some 
P A Thou sayest to me, as to Thy kittle 
servant of old, "Walk before me ^ 
and be thou perfect." But how can I V™?*** 
thus walk before Thee, Thou heart- 
searching God, how avoid the hasty 
word, the irritated spirit, unless Thou 
help me every moment ? I want steadi- 
ness and quietness of heart, no matter 
how sudden the surprise or how great 
the strain. Oh, make good to me Thy 
promise that Thou wilt keep him in 
perfect peace whose mind is stayed on 
Thee. Nothing can take Thee by sur- 
prise, nothing out-weaVy Thee. So 
help me this moment, and always, to 
put the reins of my life over into Thy 
hands. Let it be no longer I, but 
Christ that liveth in me. 

Gen. 17:1. Isa. 26:3. Gal. 2:20. 



« 65 



Some ^ESUS, my all in all Thou art; 

Little 3 ^ y rest * n to **' my ease * n pa * n ' 
l^v The medicine of my broken heart ; 

*** ' In war my peace; in loss my gain; 

My smile beneath the tyrant's frown; 

In shame my glory and my crown ; 

In want my plentiful supply ; 

In weakness my almighty power; 
In bonds my perfect liberty ; 

My light in Satan's darkest hour; 
In grief my joy unspeakable; 
My life in death, — my All in All. 

Charles Wesley. 



66 



*W "^-ORD, have mercy on the people Some 
P J of want and degradation, hidden L{^^j e 
away in the hovels and tene- ^ 
ments of our great cities. God help the l^ ra y cr9 
women — the wives and mothers, whose 
hard life is making them unlovely and 
unwomanly; and God help the little 
children who, through no fault of their 
own, are doomed to live in surround- 
ings so impure that it is a marvel that 
any escape fatal contamination. Heav- 
enly Father, are these not all Thy child- 
ren, too? Help them by the direct in- 
fluences of Thy pitying Spirit, and help 
them by arousing Thy Church to pity 
and befriend them. And oh, hasten the 
time when evil and sin shall be done 
away forever, and nothing shall hurt or 
destroy, in all Thy holy mountain ! 

Isa. 11:9. 



67 



Some ^^ELIVER me from fear, I pray 
Little J*J Thee, Lord. The Lord is my 
^v^ light and my salvation, whom 

* Jrayer8 shall I fear? Show me that Thy 
blessed protecting will is all about me, 
O God, insphering me with safety, and 
that the trials and sufferings which 
Thou dost permit to reach me, touched 
by the divine alchemy of that will, will 
be transmuted into blessings. Evil 
tidings? They can not be evil to the 
beloved of the Lord that dwells in 
safety by Him. Pain? Affliction? 
Death itself? All things shall work to- 
gether for my good. So what time I 
am afraid I will trust in Thee and my 
fear will vanish. I will trust and not 
be afraid. 

Psa. 27:1. Rom. 8:28. Psa. 56:3. Isa. 12:2. 



68 



*JT~fORD, give me a heart of pure, Some 
P A quick love. I desire to love r {++i c 
everybody in the whole world. ^ 
I want to love those that are unlovely, *> v *y* rQ 
those that do not love me. I will to 
love them, but oh, my heart is so slow 
to move out in spontaneous desires of 
good toward them! My soul is so 
dead, so dry and unfeeling ! Lord, shed 
abroad Thy love in my heart by the 
Holy Spirit. Let it come down like the 
gentle rains of heaven, refreshing, soft- 
ening, bringing new life. Thou lovest, 
Lord. Thou hast loved even me. And 
shall I not love others? I will, dear 
Lord, as Thou shalt help me. Take 
away out of my heart not only all 
hatred but all indifference, and may my 
life pour itself out through all my days 
in earnest, helpful, unceasing love to 
every creature. 

Rom. 5:5. Psa. 72:6. 



69 



Some 

Little 

prayers 



i 



THANK Thee, Lord, that the 
mercy seat is always open to me 
— that it is no longer by formal cer- 
emony and costly sacrifice that a soul 
draws near to Thee, but that the up- 
ward glancing of a thought brings us 
into Thy blessed presence. When I 
am happy I can run to Thee as a happy 
bride delights to pour her joy into her 
husband's ears. And when I am sad and 
perplexed I can still fly to Thee and sob 
out my woes on Thy loving bosom. I 
thank Thee that Thou art never too 
busy or too weary to hear me — that 
the arms of love are always out- 
stretched to welcome me. I thank 
Thee, Lord, that I can always pray. 

Heb. 9:11. 12. 



70 



prayers 



% J ^ORD, make me grateful for the Some 
J J things in my life that please me L^^( c 

not — the hard things, the crosses 
and disappointments and afflictions. 
Thou, Lord God, art round about Thy 
people. The closest "surrounding," 
after all, is Thyself. Nothing can ap- 
proach me save through Thee. Thou 
hast sent everything. No, not every- 
thing; Thou hast never sent the sin, 
sometimes my own and sometimes that 
of others, by which I have suffered. 
But even this Thou wilt overrule, for 
all things shall work together for my 
good. So for all Thou hast sent or per- 
mitted to come, I will praise Thee. 
And for all that Thou wilt permit to 
come I will praise Thee. My times are 
in Thy hand. 

Psa. 125:2. Rom. 8:28. Psa. 31:15. 



71 



Some 
Little 



K 



ORD, bless the Sunday-schools 
of our land and of all lands. We 
thank Thee for the millions 
■^ ™ gathered together every Sunday to 
study the Word of God. We thank 
Thee for the great volume of volunteer 
work done by Sunday-school teachers 
and officers. Our hearts swell with 
amazement and grateful emotion as we 
think of the enormous influence for 
good of this training on the minds of 
the young. Surely Thou didst visit 
Thy people when the Sunday-school 
impulse came to the Church. We 
pray, Lord, for a continued blessing 
to rest on this agency — for earnest, 
faithful teachers and for a still greater 
ingathering of pupils. Above all, we 
pray that the Lord Jesus Himself may 
be so set forth in the teaching that the 
hearts of the young shall be won for 
Thee. 



72 



*■— "^ORD, help me to bear not only 
M J patiently but cheerfully, the in- 
terruptions that come to me. If 
my work presses, if my time seems 
precious, help me to remember that my 
time belongs not to myself, but to 
Thee. Nothing can come to me, Lord, 
but by Thy permission. Help me lest 
in my haste I miss some sweet lesson 
of Thine, or fail to see in the interrup- 
tion some bit of work that Thou 
wouldst have me do. And, however 
great the annoyance, keep the frown 
from my face, dear Lord, and the irrita- 
tion from my heart. May my cheerful 
patience in all my experiences, little as 
well as great, honor Thy name. 



Some 

Little 

prayers 



73 



Some f\ BLESSED work for Jesus ! 
Little ^^ O rest at Jesus' feet! 
-n. There toil seems pleasure, 

iJrayera ^ y wants are treasure, 

And pain for Him is sweet. 
Lord, if I may, 
1 11 serve another day ! 

Anna B. Warner. 



74 



*W ^-ORD, I want to be truly unselfish. Some 
J A Help me, I pray Thee. Keep n^tlc 
me from choosing my own ^. 
pleasure while others suffer disadvan- W^?®?* 
tage. And more, Lord, keep me from 
the selfishness of thoughtlessness — 
from the countless little things that 
show me to be not like Thy blessed 
self. I think I fail sometimes for lack 
of light; shine Thou, I pray Thee, on 
even the smallest things of my life — on 
not only my motives but my life-long 
habits. Shine the purity of Thy light 
into them, and shine the warmth of Thy 
love over them, and make me, more and 
more every day, like the blessed One 
who pleased not Himself. 

Rom. 15:3. 



75 



Some 

Little 

prayers 



xc 



ORD, bless the missionaries in 
far-away lands, as they labor for 
Thee, Are they staggering un- 
der heavy burdens? Lord, be Thou 
their burden bearer. Teach them the 
wonderful secret of such supreme trust 
in Thee, such a recognition of the 
Father's love and care, as shall lift all 
burdens and relieve from all anxiety. 
Are they lonely and isolated? Give 
them a vivid sense of Thy presence. 
If any are sick or in danger, be Thou to 
them a strong tower of refuge and de- 
fense. Grant them the desire of their 
hearts in bringing many souls to the 
blessed light. And, O Lord of the har- 
vest, multiply their numbers. Send 
forth more laborers into Thy harvest. 

Psa.61:3. Matt. 9:38. 



76 



% «^ELP me, O Lord, not to strive Some 
1 P unduly to know; not to fret that r {++\ c 

some things are still shadowed. ^ 
Thou art standing in the shadows, «^ ra y er9 
keeping watch, and if I can not under- 
stand I can still trust. It is better not 
to know sometimes. It keeps me quiet 
in the arms that will not let me go. 
Keep me from worrying, Lord, as if 
Thou couldst not take care of me. 
Help me to be not anxious. 

James Russell Lowell. Matt. 6:34, Revised Version. 



77 



Some 

Little 

prayers 



D 



EAR Lord, keep me from getting 
discouraged to-day. Was it not 
written of Thee, "He shall not 
fail nor be discouraged ?•" May I be 
strong in Thy strength. May I rejoice 
in the certainty of coming victory. 
Perhaps it will be that even as I shout 
before my Jericho, the walls will fall — 
that even as, like the old king, I go sing- 
ing to the conflict my enemy will flee 
away. Help me to sing ! 

Isa. 42:4. Josh. 6:20. 2 Chron. 20:22. 



78 



% J %ORD, bless the neglected and suf- 
\*A fering children to-day, in city 
slum or country desolation. Be 
Thou the Great Physician to the little 
sick children, the Gentle Shepherd of 
the neglected children. Be Thou light 
to the love that otherwise might in igno- 
rance darken a little one's life. Be Thou 
the avenger of the organized greed that 
fattens on the blood of innocents. And 
help me to-day if there be opportunity, 
to lift some hand of comfort or help for 
those whom Jesus took in His arms 
and blessed. 

Mark 10:16. 



Some 

Little 

prayers 



79 



Some 

Little 

prayers 



rx 



ORD, help me to take my work 
or my study or my play as from 
Thy hand ; and to do it directly, 

intentionally, consciously, for Thee. 

Show me that even he 

"Who sweeps a floor as for Thy cause, 

Makes that and the action fine." 
May the blessed motive of doing it for 
Thee dignify and glorify every service 
— nothing thus done can be menial or 
trivial. And may I do my work well, 
Lord, with nothing about it of half- 
heartedness. With good will may I 
do my service as unto the Lord and 
not unto men. 

George Herbert. Eph. 6:7. 



80 



*W-~%ORD JESUS, keep me from pride. Some 
J J Help me not to think more T{++[ c 

highly of myself than I ought. -~ 
Why should I be lifted up— I, a tiny Way** 
mote visible only in the sunlight of 
Thy marvelous love? I, whose whole 
earthly existence is but for a moment? 
I, whose everything good both of char- 
acter and possession is the gift of 
another, even of Thyself, O Lord? 
Bring these things to my mind when 
this temptation besets me; and give 
me, O Thou blessed One who didst 
take upon Thyself the form of a servant, 
Thou whose glory it was not to be min- 
istered unto but to minister, give me 
more of Thy spirit of wonderful and 
lovely humility. 

Rom. 12:3. Phil. 2:7. Matt. 20:28. 



(6) 81 



Some ^T^fORD, we pray for a blessing upon 
Little Jp A the a 2 e d — so many of the pleas- 
<, ures of life are not for them any 

■^ ' more! But if their path is an ever nar- 
rowing one, joy after joy going out of it, 
oh, show them that it may be an ever 
ascending one, into purer air and 
broader vision. Keep them from fret- 
fulness and narrowness and sadness. 
May their sympathies grow ever 
broader and their love ever deeper; may 
their whole life become ever more full 
and rich. And as their pathway thus 
shines brighter and brighter, may they 
not be afraid or reluctant to go trust- 
fully on, holding Thy hand, unto the 
perfect day. 

Prov. 4:18. 



82 



SW\ Y Jesus, as Thou wilt ; Some 

111 O may Thy will be mine! Little 
Into Thy hand of love t? ^ 

I would my all resign. payers 

Through sorrow or through joy, 

Conduct me as Thine own, 
And help me still to say, 

"My Lord, Thy will be done." 

My Jesus, as Thou wilt: 

All shall be well for me; 
Each changing future scene 

I gladly trust with Thee. 
Straight to my home above 

I travel calmly on, 
And sing in life or death, 

"My Lord, Thy will be done." 

Benjamin Schmolke. 



83 



Some *■ "^ORD, give me a thankful heart. 
Little J" A I am thankful for Thyself, for 

Dravers Thy great gifts to my spirit ' but 

*^ 7 help me to appreciate the thousand 

earthly things that make life good and 

sweet. I thank Thee for such health 

as I have, for eyes and ears and straight 

limbs, for sunshine in summer and 

shelter in winter. But, oh, I thank 

Thee most of all for Thyself, Lord 

Jesus, Thou Lover of my soul. And I 

thank Thee that Thou givest me the 

unspeakable honor of being in the 

humblest way a co-worker with Thee 

on earth. I thank Thee for the trials 

Thou hast sent me, the sorrows Thou 

hast permitted to come upon me. I can 

see already, as to some of these dark 

and dreadful things, that they have been 

necessary and useful to me, for what 

son is he whom the Father chasteneth 

not? And as to the other things, 

darker and bitterer, the things I can not 

understand, I leave them with Thee. 

" My Father's hand will never cause 
His child a needless tear." 

So I thank Thee, Lord, for all. 

Heb. 12:7. W. F. Lloyd. 

84 



*W "%ORD, I pray often for those I love 
M J best, but I pray now for those I 
love least. Bless those people 
with whom I differ, and help me to re- 
member that the right is rarely ever all 
on one side. Keep me from the arro- 
gance of believing that no judgment is 
sincere but my own. Help me to have 
confidence in and love for all Thy 
children, even when I can not think as 
they do. If there is any one who has 
done me wrong, Lord, help me to pray 
earnestly for that one, for it was while 
Job prayed for his friends that the 
Lord turned his captivity. May differ- 
ences be healed, may true love flow as 
we pray for each other, and even in our 
poor human hearts may Thy prayer be 
answered that we all may be one. 

Job 42:10. Jno. 17:21. 



Some 

Little 

Prayers 



85 



Some 

Little 

prayers 



o 



LORD of Light, shine into the 
dark places of the world. Ban- 
ish our night. Thou not only 
givest light, but Thou art Light. As 
light discloses and cleanses and vital- 
izes and makes to grow, so do Thou, 

God, make the truth plain and vital 
to Thy people. Purify our hearts and 
help us to live and grow in Thee. And, 
Lord, as the light shines everywhere, on 
the good and on the bad, so shine Thou 
everywhere all over the earth — it is Thy 
earth — till the everlasting morning shall 
come and there shall be no more night. 

1 Jno. 1:5. Rev. 21:25. 



86 



B 



REATHE on me, Breath of God, Some 

Fill me with life anew, Little 

That I may love what Thou r^. 

dost love, P ra * ro 
And do what Thou wouldst do. 



Breathe on me, Breath of God, 
Until my heart is pure, 

Until with Thee I will one will, 
To do or to endure. 

Breathe on me, Breath of God, 
Till I am wholly Thine, 

Till all this earthly part of me 
Glows with Thy fire divine. 

Breathe on me, Breath of God, 

So shall I never die, 
But live with Thee the perfect life 

Of Thine eternity. 

Edwin Hatch. 



87 



Some 
Little 



& 



HALL I ask Thee for a joyous 
and happy life, dear Lord? But 
sorrow may be better. Thou 
■^ ' knowest best, so my shallow thought 
is checked and I leave the choice to 
Thee. Choose Thou for me whether 
or not I have joy in my life — in my 
friends or my surroundings. Yes, 
even whether I shall have joy and 
seeming success in my work for Thee. 
But I may ask Thee, Lord, for joy in 
Thyself — that joy in the Lord which is 
my strength. I glory in the sure knowl- 
edge that I may have Thee. I may not 
feel Thy presence, but Thou art with 
me always, even unto thfe end of the 
world. Thou art the Fountain of all 
true joy. My soul shall be satisfied . . . 
my mouth shall praise Thee with joy- 
ful lips, when I remember Thee . . . and 
meditate on Thee. 

Neh. 8:10. Matt. 28:20. Psa. 63:5, 6. 



88 



OLORD, Thy kingdom come ! We 
catch bright glimpses, at times, 
of what Thy Kingdom in the 
earth will mean — the Kingdom of the 
unselfish, of the meek and lowly. Will 
the time ever really come when these 
shall inherit the earth ? O Lord, hasten 
its coming! We are so tired of the 
kingdoms that the world strives for — 
the rule of wealth and honor and power, 
the kingdoms of petty thoughts and 
selfish aims and passing interests. 
The fashion of this world passeth 
away. We long for the enduring, the 
eternal — for Thy beautiful, eternal 
Kingdom of Love. Lord, hasten the 
coming of the Kingdom ! 

Matt. 6:10. Matt. 5:5. 1 Cor. 7:31. 



Some 

Little 

prayers 



89 



Some *■ "^ORD God, give me present, con- 
Little \ \* scious victory over every sin. 
I~ Make me more than conqueror 

WayeVQ through Him t hat love d us# This was 
the very object of Thy coming to earth, 
Lord Jesus — Thou wast manifested to 
take away our sins. As I died unto 
sin when I came unto Thee at the first, 
accepting Thine atoning death for my 
transgressions, so may I daily live unto 
righteousness. May the power and 
outworking of Thy resurrection life in 
my soul be the most real and vivid ex- 
perience of my life. I can not stand 
alone a moment. As the babe falls 
helpless when the sustaining hand is 
withdrawn, so I fall without Thee. 
But, Lord, Thine hand fails never. It 
is not shortened that it can not save, nor 
weakened that it can not keep. So hold 
me, Thou mighty Conqueror. May I live 
before Thee with "no condemnation." 

Rom. 8:37. 1 Jno. 3:5, 8. Rom. 6:6-14. Isa. 59:1. Rom. 8:1. 



90 



*y-"^.ORD, bless the physicians and Some 
1 J scientists and philosophers, the HftU 
patient seekers after truth in the q .^ 
laboratory and study. Bless those who ^ ' 
do not yet see Thee in Thy world. 
We thank Thee for these painstaking 
investigators to whom civilization owes 
so much of its helpful progress. We 
thank Thee for their spirit of true self- 
sacrifice ; surely they are Thy servants, 
moved by something of Thy spirit, do- 
ing Thy work though they may know it 
not. And Lord, as they so earnestly 
strive to find the truth in Thy world, 
oh that they might lift up their eyes to 
see Thee, the Truth in Thy Word ! 
Show them the sweet reasonableness 
of Thy revelation of Thyself in Thy 
Beloved Son ; and may they be brought 
to Thy feet in reverent adoration. 



91 



Sortie *■ "^ORD, give me the grateful spirit, 

Little J A t ^ ie Q u i c k, responsive heart that 

^ forgets not all Thy benefits. 

prayers For Thy greater gi f ts j am g rate ful, but 

help me to recognize Thee in the every- 
day things that make life so pleasant — 
for the common food and clothes into 
whose preparation have gone the hid- 
den labor of such a multitude of humble, 
distant hands; for books to read, and 
for all the conveniences of civilization. 
I have these things because Thou hast 
opened Thine hand, filling Thine earth 
with unimagined wonders and possibil- 
ities, and filling the mind of man with 
splendid powers of invention and dis- 
covery. They are all gifts from Thee. 
May I take these good things from Thy 
hand and thank Thee. 

Psa. 103:2. 



92 



% W "%ORD, bless all the parts of our Some 
1 J round world to which the gospel r {++\ c 
story has never yet been carried ; ^. 
India and China, with their myriads of k^y* 1 * 9 
souls, their oppressed women, their 
hopeless widows, their opium evils — 
but with their vast possibilities of good. 
How fast they are coming into the 
great arena of the active nations! 
Bless their rulers. Bless their ignorant 
men, their suffering women, their pa- 
thetic little children. And Lord, bless 
Ethiopia, still stretching out her hands 
to Thee; and all the lands that know 
Thee not. Bless every effort to carry 
the banner of the cross to the ends of 
the world. Let Thy Spirit more and 
more arouse Thy Church to obey the 
great command to go into all the world, 
and may the time be hastened when the 
gospel shall be preached to every crea- 
ture and the kingdoms of this world 
shall become the kingdoms of our Lord 
and of His Christ. 

Psa. 68:31. Mark 16:15. Rev. 11:15. 



93 



Some 

Little 

prayers 



xx 



►ORD, bless me in my joy. All 
these sweet earthly things are 
gifts from Thee. They are little 
rills from the river of Thy pleasure, of 
which Thou makest me to drink. I am 
so glad, Lord Jesus, that Thou didst not 
only weep at the grave of Lazarus, but 
that Thou didst rejoice with Thy 
friends at the marriage feast of Cana! 
I am so glad that we are commanded to 
rejoice ! But, Lord, let not my earthly 
joys, no matter how pure and holy, 
make me for one moment to forget 
Thee. In the midst of the sweet secret 
thoughts of my human joys may my 
meditations of Thee be sweeter. Be 
Thou, Lord, my chiefest delight, my 
underlying joy, my everlasting treasure. 

Psa. 36:8. Phil. 4:4. 



94 



KOLY GHOST, with light divine, Some 

Shine upon this heart of mine; Little 

Chase the shades of night away, rw*wiH* 

Turn my darkness into day. |cn*ayers 

Holy Ghost, with power divine, 
Cleanse this guilty heart of mine; 
Long hath sin, without control, 
Held dominion o'er my soul. 

Holy Ghost, with joy divine, 
Cheer this saddened heart of mine! 
Bid my many woes depart, 
Heal my wounded, bleeding heart. • 

Holy Spirit, all divine, 
Dwell within this heart of mine; 
Cast down every idol-throne, 
Reign supreme, and reign alone. 

Arthur Reed. 



95 



Some ^^\^KE me very patient, Lord, — 

Little S I 9 P at i ent with myself and patient 
Q with other people. Thou wast 

■^ ^ patient, even when Thou hadst not a 
pillow for Thy dear head. Thou didst 
endure the contradiction of sinners. 
What a world of patience Thou didst 
show toward Thy disciples in their ig- 
norance and misunderstanding of Thee! 
And what a world of patience Thou art 
showing toward me! And with Thy 
example before me shall not I be 
# patient? Help me never to forget 
that Thou art being judged — honored or 
dishonored — by the lives of Thy disci- 
ples. Oh, may Thy power keep me, 
Thy strong hand guard me from stum- 
bling. Suffer me not to be tempted 
above that I am able to bear. 

Matt. 8: 20. Jude 24, (R. V.) 1 Cor. 10:13. 



96 



K 



ORD, keep me from being afraid Some 
of Thee and Thy leading. Help Little 
me to believe with a sincerity r^^ 

rill fill mxr Wtt* xxrifVi rnncfanf WZyWQ 



that will fill my life with constant 
joy, that Thou art all wisdom and all 
love, and that Thou art infinitely more 
concerned that my life shall be happy 
and successful than I can be myself. A 
loving Father, even an earthly father, 
would never lead his child into a real 
darkness, and can I not trust Thee, no 
matter how strange may seem Thy 
v/ay for me ? So help me to surrender 
myself absolutely into Thy safe and 
loving hands ; and help me to keep al- 
ways the solemn promise I now make 
again, that by Thy grace I will follow 
Thee whithersoever Thou goest. 

Matt. 8:19. 



(7) 97 



Some 

Little 

prayers 



it 



•ORD, help me to be helpful! 
Bless me and make me a bless- 
ing. I may not be able to do 
any great thing, dear Master, but help 
me to do the many little things. Help 
me to smile in rainy weather, to speak 
kindly, to answer gently even the harsh 
and unreasonable word, to lift the little 
burdens, to make some child happier. 
Oh, may I see, dear Lord, that such 
things as these may be done for Thee, 
that they are the cups of cold water; 
and that I may lift my eyes to Thee 
after even the tiniest kindness is of- 
fered, and read my reward in Thy 
smiling face. 

Gen. 12:2» Matt. 10:42. 



98 



XX 



ORD, bless the great army of Some 

women whom stern necessity H^tte 

has thrust out from the protect- r^^^ 

of home to fight for bread ^ ra >' cr9 



ing shelter of home to fight 
in the pitiless, crowded marts of the 
world. Look on the toilers in factories 
and shops, and on the multitudes of 
homeless girls among them. They are 
so unused to the ways of the world, so 
open to danger by their very trustful- 
ness and innocence! Lord, be Thou 
Their shield. Quicken in them the in- 
stinct of purity. Raise up friends for 
their protection. Bless the Young 
Women's Christian Association and 
the Home Clubs and all other efforts 
for their good. And if ever word or 
deed of mine would help, may I be 
quick to seize the opportunity and wise 
to assist. 

LOFt 



99 



Some 

Little 

prayers 



D 



OW, Lord, I lay in Thy loved hand 
This thing I can not understand. 
I will not look, I will not long, 
I almost fear I have been wrong. 
I'll go and work the harder, Lord, 
And wait till at Thine own sweet word, 
Thou callest me to Thy loved feet 
To take this thing, so dear, so sweet. 

Anonymous. 



100 



I PRAY Thee, Lord, for the poor of 
the earth. I pray for those who 
wander homeless, a curse to them- 
selves and a menace to society. Lord, 
may the shame and sorrow of pauper- 
ism and beggary be brought soon to an 
end — surely enough food grows out of 
Thy earth for all. And, Lord, bless the 
millions of workers that toil in daily 
terror lest the toil cease, for those who 
are facing for their dear ones, day by 
day, the danger of actual starvation. 
I pray for the mothers who watch their 
little ones slowly dying for lack of the 
comforts of life. And for the mothers 
who even this day are giving up, to be 
buried by unfeeling hands in paupers' 
graves, the precious bodies of their 
dead. And I pray for the other mothers 
whose hearts are bearing the worse 
pain of seeing their children neglected 
on the streets and going down to moral 
death! God pity the sorrows of the 
poor, and while they toil for bread, 
quicken the hearts of Thy children to 
compassion and helpfulness. 

Psa. 145:16. 



Some 

Little 

prayers 



101 



Some 

Little 

prayers 



tx 



■ORD, save me from a spirit of un- 
kind and unnecessary criticism. 
Let me never forget that all un- 
necessary criticism can but be unkind. 
Set a guard on my lips. Give me such 
a spirit of genuine, fervent love for 
everybody that I shall be pained if I 
must express an ill judgment, no mat- 
ter how well founded in truth. Take 
away from me the specious excuse that 
because a thing is true I may exploit it. 
Give me the love that conceals its 
loved one's faults as long as possible, 
that suffers long and is kind, that be- 
lieves all things good of one's neighbor, 
and when it can no longer believe, 
hopeth all things — that there must be 
some palliating circumstance, some 
misunderstanding — and when it can no 
longer even hope, that still "endures" 
all things in loving silence rather than 
speak one needless word to a neighbor's 
discredit. So shall I be growing con- 
stantly more like Thee, Thou living 
and gentle Jesus. 

1 Cor. 13:4-7. 



102 



HND wilt Thou Sometime say to Some 
me, Lord Jesus: "Well done, L^tlc 
good and faithful servant ?" Shall ^v 
I, even I, hear those words? At the ***J«W 
very thought of it, my heart breaks with 
the sense of its own unworthiness. 
There have been so many times when 
I have not been good ; and when I have, 
it has been Thou, "working in me, both 
to will and to do." And so many times 
when I have not been faithful! How 
canst Thou ever say "Well done" to 
me, my Master? 

It will be because — my heart has 
guessed the secret — because Thou lov- 
est me! Thou lookest upon my little 
attempts, the little flickerings of my 
heart toward Thee and they are trans- 
figured in Thine eyes. 

And shall I not, as Thou shalt help 
me, do a little better from this time on? 
Shall I not be a little more nearly wor- 
thy of Thy wonderful words of love? 

Matt. 25:21. Phil. 2:13. 



103 



Some 

Little 

prayers 



xx 



ORD, bless the people that to-day 
will die, some by swift accident 
and some by long illness. Help 
them, O Lord, to trust and not be 
afraid. Sometimes in our childhood 
we used to see in the dark, on our 
homeward way, wild beasts and dread- 
ful creatures in the path, but as we 
drew nearer we found them mere noth- 
ings — a blackened stump — a garment 
waving in the wind. So may the ter- 
rors of death vanish before Thy chil- 
dren as they come closer. May they 
see that the change is only a moving 
time, an entering into the larger, truer, 
freer life of God. 

And those who are not Thy children, 
who have not accepted Thee as their 
Father — some of them, too, will die to- 
day. O Lord, may there not be one 
more striving of Thy Spirit with them 
before they go ? 

Isa. 12:2. 



104 



*W "%ORD, bless the young people of gome 
J A the land to-day. They are so £,{ttl c 

happy and strong in the school ^v 
and in the home, but upon them in a •^ ra y er8 
little time is to come all the stress and 
weariness and work and pain of the 
world! Prepare them for it, Lord; the 
young women who are to toil in a thou- 
sand ways, to lay woman's hand of in- 
fluence on the world, to guide the feet 
of childhood; the young men that are 
to be the toilers, to dare and lose and 
gain and suffer. Help them all. With 
their other learning may they learn 
strength and patience and faith in Thee. 
And may the world that they make for 
others be better than the world that we 
have made for them. 



105 



Some f\ MASTER, let me walk with Thee 

Little \lJ * n ^ ow ^y paths of service free; 
|rv Tell me Thy secret ; help me bear 

Icjrayers The strain of toilj the fret of care# 

Help me the slow of heart to move 
By some clear winning word of love ; 
Teach me the wayward feet to stay, 
And guide them in the homeward way. 

Teach me Thy patience; still with Thee 

In closer, dearer company, 

In work that keeps faith sweet and 

strong, 
In trust that triumphs over wrong, 

In hope that sends a shining ray 
Far down the future's broadening way, 
In peace* that only Thou canst give — 
With Thee, O Master, let me live. 

Washington Gladden. 



106 



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